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New amp kit build: Elekit TU-8600S

eickmewg

eickmewg

Well-Known Member
I have wanted to try a 300B amp and about 3 years ago, the Elekit TU-8600 caught my eye. I hemmed and hawed and on the heals of an Elekit TU-8500 tube preamp build that went well, I decided to take the plunge. I came to the conclusion that I couldn't swing the Lundahl output transformer version. I got a kit from the Tube Store in Canada. Turned out to be a wise decision. Shipping was a little more but no sales taxes!

I got the Mundorf supreme cap upgrade and a pair of Gold Lion 300B tubes. It showed upon my doorstep yesterday after noon. I got right on the build. There were a couple of issues with the instructions but I could figure things out with a little mental elbow grease. All the resistors were in separate bags by resistance value, except two 2 ohm resistors were in the bag with a different value. Fortunately I was checking resistor values and found the problem.

It took about 13 hours to complete the kit and then came the moment of truth. Hooked the amp up and with trepidation, and I hit the power switch. All the tubes lit up and beautiful music came out of the speakers. Hot dog!

I need to let the thing burn in for awhile, but I think I'll come to like the big triodes. I need to stop spending money and start to sell a few things.

Bill
 
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Nice. Hope to be not far behind you. But.......... I'm going to sell a few things first. ;)

What speakers are you using?
 
I'm still working on my TU-8600 from January. I sent the chassis out for powdercoat and it's taking forever. I also built a TU-8200DX and TU-8500. I use those in my office setup with Tung Sol 6550s. They sound great. Welcome to Elekit. Fun and rewarding.
 
If it took you 13 hours, I guess I am looking at 30 at least -- I get too compulsive about all the parts etc ...

as she burns in, please share your musical experience ...what speakers are you using (I have a pair of 89db Polks which have been playing well with a Fisher 400) ...
 
My speakers are Polk SRS SDA 2.3's. Supposedly 92 dB efficient. I also built a TU-8200 about three years ago that I upgraded to the DX configuration, and I recently finished a TU-8500 tube preamp. Following a recommendation from Victor Kung, my TU-8200 is using 807 tubes with socket adapters. Those Elekit kits can become pretty addictive. I've built these three kits and all worked from the first power-on, but I did need to futz with the power LED on the TU-8500.
 
Had a TU-8500 with all the upgrades for a while. I did some IC rolling, but the MC input was too noisy with LOMCs for my tastes, and, I need a remote. Great little preamp for the $$. :thumbsup:
 
Unfortunately, one of the new Gold Lion 300B tubes died an early death. So no TU-8600S joy for now. The Tube Store will replace the tube but it cost $22 to mail the thing back to Canada! In the interim I ordered up some EH 300B's that when the new Gold Lion shows up, will serve as backups. Bummer!

With respect to the TU-8500, I haven't played records in 30 years or so. I had to borrow a friend's turntable to check to see if the phono section worked. It did.
 
Here's a link to the remote control digital volume control:
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/swap-meet/322983-muses-volume.html
Quite long thread with a couple of significant upgrades over the last year, or so.

As for digital music........... I listen to digital when I need the convenience. Analog is how music is made. Once the music coming off instruments I prefer and voices I care to listen to are produced digitally, I may change. While I'm good with evolution, don't think that will happen in my life-time.
 
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I got a pair of inexpensive EH300B tubes in the mail today so I can finally hear my TU-8600S! For the first couple of hours, the sound was thin with not a great deal of bass. After that the tubes really opened up. I've never really experienced this with power tubes before and it was very noticeable.

I was happy that the amp worked as it should. All the voltages at the 38 test points were very close. I really enjoyed this project, except for the dead Gold Lion, which set my gratification back by a week.

Now I need to really critically compare the TU-8600S to my TU-8200DX.
 
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